North Carolina already had a statute banning gay marriage. Amendment One declares that “marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this state” — vague language that opponents say could threaten domestic partnership protections for all couples while closing the door to any sort of same-sex unions.

I’m not sure how they can class that as vague language, It seems pretty clear to me that they intend to prevent civil unions and any sort of recognition or benefits for same sex partners, much as they did with a similar ammendment in Michigan.

I spent last night on a phone bank calling folks to vote against this amendment. One woman told me that if children of people in a civil union were going to get hurt by this amendment the parents are to blame.

I asked her if victims of domestic violence who lose protection because they aren’t married to their abusers were also to blame.